Virtual Issue: Conserving European biodiversity: lessons from the science-policy interface

Introduction
Philip E. Hulme, Editor, Journal of Applied Ecology

The United Nations proclaimed 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity, the year by which the Convention on Biological Diversity also hoped to achieve a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth. Not surprisingly, the ambitious “Target 2010” has largely failed to be met, with most indicators of global biodiversity revealing a continuing or in some cases increasing rate of decline. Conserving biodiversity and the ecosystem goods and services it provides has become an increasingly challenging task and one that requires novel solutions and strategies. In the past, the Journal of Applied Ecology, like many other science journals, regularly documented the threats to biodiversity from human population growth, pollution, exploitation and more recently climate change. Today, the journal is one of the few that emphasise opportunities to develop solutions, mitigate conflicts and deliver sustainable management of natural resources. This step change in focus reflects the increasing multi-disciplinary nature of applied ecology that requires the combined efforts of scientists, the public and policy makers. These new models of applied ecology are likely to be one of the key ways forward to stem future biodiversity loss and the Journal of Applied Ecology is pleased to play such a central role in disseminating this information.

Although perhaps not widely regarded as a global biodiversity hotspot, Europe has been the platform for several pioneering projects that have bridged the cultural, political and environmental diversity of the region to provide new insights into managing biodiversity. While Europe certainly faces progressive declines in native biodiversity and increasing threats to ecosystems, the conservation of biodiversity is a major element of the European Union environmental policy. In this respect, the European Union has taken the lead from the United Nations and dedicated the 2010 Green Week conference to address this issue. Green Week is the largest annual conference on European environment policy and will address the state of biodiversity and nature in Europe, the benefits they bring, present-day pressures on them, and possible solutions to the current rates of loss. Unlike most environmental conferences, Green Week is not simply about science outputs but will bring together several thousand participants from EU institutions, business and industry, non-governmental organisations, public authorities, the scientific community and academia to present a unique opportunity for exchanges of experience and good practice.

To celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity, the Journal of Applied Ecology is launching a virtual issue on the management of biodiversity to coincide with the Green Week conference. Twenty of the most influential papers that bridge the policy-science divide relating to biodiversity published by the Journal of Applied Ecology over the last five years have been brought together in a single issue. These papers have a largely European focus and in many cases reflect the important role of European Union funding in bringing together researchers from across the region to work on shared issues relating to biodiversity management. These articles should help inform the ever diverse set of biodiversity stakeholders on the path to be taken by EU policies on biodiversity and nature policies post-2010 as well as the economic dimension of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Read the Virtual Issue

Site Footer

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Copyright
• Wiley.com